Choice Air upgrade using Avios

[Medicalley]

Has anyone managed to upgrade their BA seats using Avios when the flights have been booked via the cruiseline? - in this case Royal Caribbean. If so- was it easy?!!

[cruising cockroach]

I think you'll find these tickets non-upgradeable.

 

They need to be ticketed in fairly-high fare buckets:

 

- British Airways: J, C, D, R, I, W, E, T, Y, B, H

- American Airlines and Iberia: J, C, D, Y, B

 

The flights you would like to upgrade must be booked and ticketed in eligible booking classes, however Bulk Tour (BT) and Inclusive Tour (IT) fare types are not eligible.

 

Edited August 9, 2014 by cruising cockroach

[Medicalley]

Thanks for the info- I will phone anyway just in case! Don't fancy San Diego to Heathrow in economy!

[Globaliser]

Don't fancy San Diego to Heathrow in economy!

If you're booking tickets in economy, the cheapest ones that can be upgraded using Avios are sometimes more expensive than the cheapest premium economy tickets (which could, for the same number of Avios, be upgraded to Club World). Economy tickets must be booked in Y, B or H classes to be upgradeable.

 

Others will have to say whether Choice Air tickets are issued on a BT or IT basis, which will disqualify you.

 

Anyway, good luck with finding award availability for upgrading in any event, even if you're in a booking class which can be upgraded. At the moment, it's reported to be as rare as hen's teeth trans-Atlantic. On any route, it takes both luck and persistence to get mileage upgrades.

 

If you really don't want to sit in economy, buy a premium economy ticket.

[Medicalley]

Thanks, Globaliser. I'm new to the whole Avios thing and haven't tried to use them at all , yet! Will ask how much extra it would be to fly Premium Economy. Unfortunately RCI's flight department are usually not very helpful..:rolleyes:

[Bowie MeMe]

Why not buy from BA and be their customer? You really don't need or want anything between you and the supplier of the flight. Read the sticky on the top of this forum for "Choice Air". It gives information you need to be a fully informed consumer then do your best deal for the circumstances. Good luck.

[waterbug123]

Thanks, Globaliser. I'm new to the whole Avios thing and haven't tried to use them at all , yet! Will ask how much extra it would be to fly Premium Economy. Unfortunately RCI's flight department are usually not very helpful..:rolleyes:

 

Most likely because they are neither experienced airline travel agents nor experienced air travelers themselves, and thus rather un-knowledgeable about the intricacies of air travel. They are simply people hired to answer phones and sell you the flight option that pops up on their screen. If you ask a question that forces them outside their "script" or limited knowledge base, you will generally get into the "uh, gee, I don't know" territory (or they will simply make up whatever sounds good without regard for accuracy.)

[Medicalley]

I have considered just booking direct with BA but unfortunately the cost for just one TA flight on the BA website is more than the price RCI have given me for 2 long haul and 2 short UK flights combined! I think we will just try to upgrade to premium economy if RCI can do it :rolleyes:

[Globaliser]

I have considered just booking direct with BA but unfortunately the cost for just one TA flight on the BA website is more than the price RCI have given me for 2 long haul and 2 short UK flights combined!

Are you booking a one-way flight?

[Medicalley]

Are you booking a one-way flight?

 

No, 2 internal UK flights & 2 TAs. I have spoken to RCI's flight department and they have upgraded our seats on the San Diego to Heathrow flight to World Traveller Plus, for what I consider to be a reasonable extra cost. I think we will leave it at that- I'm sure trying to upgrade with Avios at this point would be difficult- will keep them for future flights/ hotels!

You never know- we may get bumped up to Business - it happened last year on our flight to Seattle! :)

[Globaliser]

I have spoken to RCI's flight department and they have upgraded our seats on the San Diego to Heathrow flight to World Traveller Plus, for what I consider to be a reasonable extra cost.

Would you mind sharing how much the extra was?

 

For some years, I observed the changes in the premium charged by NCL for WT+ flights. They started at the normal retail level of about £200 per long-haul sector (the difference between the lowest economy fare and the lowest WT+ fare), but some routes like MIA eventually went up to about £300.

 

I don't have any reason to use NCL any more, so I don't know where they are with this now.

You never know- we may get bumped up to Business ...

Statistically, if operational upgrades are needed then WT+ gets the best deal. After all, if the airline needs to upgrade 10 people from economy to WT+, 10 from WT+ to Club, and 10 from Club to First, and the WT+ cabin is the smallest of the three (which it is) ...

[Medicalley]

Would you mind sharing how much the extra was?

 

For some years, I observed the changes in the premium charged by NCL for WT+ flights. They started at the normal retail level of about £200 per long-haul sector (the difference between the lowest economy fare and the lowest WT+ fare), but some routes like MIA eventually went up to about £300.

 

I don't have any reason to use NCL any more, so I don't know where they are with this now.Statistically, if operational upgrades are needed then WT+ gets the best deal. After all, if the airline needs to upgrade 10 people from economy to WT+, 10 from WT+ to Club, and 10 from Club to First, and the WT+ cabin is the smallest of the three (which it is) ...

 

The upgrade from WT to WT Plus via RCI was £293 pp. On BA's website the cost of a WT+ ticket is £1000 more than we were paying for all 4 flights with RCI.

I agree about the chances of upgrade from WT+ to Club- we were bumped up last year- after panicking that all the seats had gone in WT+! It was a lovely start to our Alaska Cruisetour!

[Globaliser]

The upgrade from WT to WT Plus via RCI was £293 pp. On BA's website the cost of a WT+ ticket is £1000 more than we were paying for all 4 flights with RCI.

Thanks - that's useful to know.

 

On those figures, the high cost of a WT+ ticket bought directly from BA will have been because the cheapest booking class was not available for direct booking any more. Clearly, RCI has some contracted capacity - so in this case, using Choice Air was probably well worthwhile, even if it has some downsides.

 

Of course, if booking from the UK that probably turns the booking into a package for the purposes of the Package Travel Directive, which would mean that you also get a shedload of additional consumer rights thrown in.